This is a RedCat Racing tutorial about the common troubleshooting tips in maintaining a RedCat Racing vehicle. Breaking the pull starter is one of the most common problems that even professional racers encounter every day. Learning how to replace and repair a broken pull starter will help you take care of your race car more effectively

A broken pull start is one of the most common problems. A broken pull string will never be able to start an engine so it is better to replace one in a hurry. Before working on your pull start wear protective eye wear or goggles.

Remove the engine from the manifold by unscrewing the 4 screws at the bottom of the car. Remove the pull start by removing 4 screws that connect it to the engine. If you do not know how to do this, see our article on “How to remove a nitro engine”

The pull start is composed of the string, a coin that houses the coil and with a nut shaped middle and a long, thin, metallic coil.

Take the pulley out of the pull string assembly with a small screwdriver to remove the protective lock. You will be able to fully see the insides of the pull start and see where your cord has snapped.

Recoil the cord to the pulley and replace it back inside the assembly. Then Slide the string through the hole before you wrap it on the pulley. Remember to rotate counterclockwise.

Fix the handle accordingly. Remove the torn or broken string from the handle and replace it with the other half of the string. Through the spacer first then through the handle then tie a double knot in the sting once through the hole in the top of the handle.

Recoil the string to the pulley and place it back in the assembly. Your string may be lose or too tight on the pull string assembly, you can easily repair this by placing the locking cover of the pull start back and drawing the excess cord from the top part of the handle.

Place a second knot at the end of the handle of the pull start just below the first. Replace the pull start back to the engine and screw it back in place. You may also want to consider using an electric power start system which is also available from RedCat Racing.

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This is a RedCat Racing tutorial that will teach you how to manage and troubleshoot common maintenance and assembly problems. This video is one of the many RedCat Racing tutorials that teaches hobbyists about dealing with engine problems. A flooded engine is one of the most common concerns for users and here is a step-by step guide to deal with it.

A Flooded engine is a very common problem especially when you are priming your engine for the first time. u can easily tell that the engine may be flooded when your pull string does not pull properly. Usually, only a few short pulls would be able to start an engine up. It is very important to be patient and only apply a couple of short pulls to the engine, otherwise you would either flood the engine in the process or you will only snap the cord of the manual pull start assembly.

Never force a pull start that will simply not work. It will only snap the cord and even damage your engine all the more. Remove the glow plug from the piston with the use of the redcat racing nitro tool kit.

Use a cloth to cover the piston to protect you from fuel that may spill from the area. Prime the engine several times to release extra fuel.

Replace the glow plugs back with the 4-way wrench. Restart the engine with just two to three short pulls and with the glow plug igniter in place. This will surely start the engine in no time at all. Remember to gently replace the glow plugs in to prevent damage on the threads inside the heat sink.

Check for the exhaust smoke and a few amounts of fuel that may come out of the exhaust. This means that your engine is running rich.

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This is a RedCat Racing tutorial for beginner remote control race car hobbyists that teaches simple troubleshooting techniques to maximize your car engine’s performance. It tackles one of the most common problems that racers face, why an engine revs up right after it has started.

To Start, remove the top or external portion of your race car and check the internal parts to see what’s wrong. There are many reasons why your engine revs up after starting. One of the main reasons is the need to calibrate your engine’s carburetor. Check for the carburetor by removing the air filter. It is a layer of white foam in the middle of the engine assembly which directly covers the entrance to the carburetor.

The carburetor opening is adjusted with the help of the idle switch. Ideally, there should only be a millimeter opening on the carburetor, a larger opening will usually make the engine rev up after you have started the engine. Always place the opening to only one millimeter to maintain the function of your engine.

You may also adjust the opening with the use of the throttle servo arm. With just a few turns of the throttle push rod of the throttle assembly you will also be able to get just a millimeter hole on the carburetor.

As you make manual adjustments with the carburetor idle switch, power the car on as well as the radio controller so you can readily adjust the throttle trim as well. Making sure that your Low Speed Needle is not too lean will also reduce engine rev every time you start it.

BY making sure than the carburetor is open with just a millimeter and your Low Speed Needle is not too lean will avoid engine rev up upon starting it. It will also assure that your engine will perform better and will last longer too.

This is a RedCat Racing tutorial that will show you the basics of cleaning your race car engine’s carburetor. A clean carburetor will supply the engine with clean and efficient power and will also improve the lifespan of your remote control car engine. This is one of the many RedCat Racing tutorials that teach the basics of maintenance and expert handling of your race car’s delicate parts.

You can easily tell when your carburetor needs cleaning and maintenance when you cannot freely turn the carburetor speed needles or you turn them and there is not performance change in your vehicle. Take the carburetor and clean it out, then remove the needle valve from the carb. Don’t put too much force as you use nose pliers on the carburetor needle valve.

Remove the High Speed Needle and the Low Speed Needle and with a small amount of nitro fuel, clean the remaining carburetor assembly.

Wear protective glasses and gloves when cleaning the carburetor. After placing a small amount of nitro fuel on the part, gently blow the carburetor holes to remove the dirt and the air away. Clean everything and make sure there is no stuck dirt. Be gentle with the carburetor assembly and avoid scratching any part or damaging any small part.

Place the High Speed Needle and the Low Speed Needle back with a screwdriver. Never over tighten any screw on the carburetor since it can damage the assembly. Set the idle screw; you may see for yourself the position of the opening of the carburetor when this important part is adjusted. Generally you want to leave at least 1 MM open.

Check if all the moving parts are OK before you replace it back to the car engine. Place the carburetor back where it is located on the car. Attach the throttle to the carburetor assembly and screw the part back in. Power the car; use the manual pull string and the glow plug igniter to start the engine. With your remote, adjust the throttle and the steering trims.

This is a RedCat Racing training tutorial. This is just one of the tutorials that teach any hobbyist the basics of set up and maintenance of your remote control parts. This Redcat tutorial will show you how to replace the pull starter with a new electric pow

Replacing a manual pull starter is easy when you have a RedCat Racing electric power starter. Remove the electric power starter and see if you have all the materials ready. Remove the outer cover of the nitro vehicle. You may either take the entire engine out or take the whole rear suspension out to replace the manual pull start. (The Engine is easier)

Remove the engine out by releasing the four screws at the back. Replace the manual pull start by removing the screws that attach it to the engine. The reason why most hobbyists replace a manual pull start is that the string on the pull start often breaks.

n the package of the electric power starter. Replace it to the area where the manual pull string was located. Tighten the new starter with provided screws.

This power starter uses 7.2 volts 1800mAh NiCd batteries. Connect the battery to the power compartment using the provided wiring mechanism. Test the electric power starter out. Place the starter stick that will be used to start the motor electrically. Test this on the engine that you have removed from the car.

Once that the engine can be started with the use of the electric power starter, you are ready to place the engine back on the car and screw it back in. Keep the old manual starter for future use just in case you need it some day. Check if the electric power starter is able to start the motor; insert the starter stick or connector from the back of the car which is directly accessible from the back of the car.

Start your car. Lay it flat on the ground but don’t place the outer cover just yet. Start the engine using the electric starter and starting the glow plug. The engine should start with just a few strokes from the electric power starter.

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This Redcat Racing tutorial will teach you how to set up the gear mesh of your race car. Any hobbyist knows that the gears of a race car is what makes every wheel turn and without proper set up and maintenance, your car will never perform the way you want it to be. Here is a step by step procedure on how to set up the gear mesh:

A tight or loose gear mesh will affect the performance of your car. To be able to know if you have set it properly, you can do some simple diagnostic procedures.

1. Feel the way the gears turn. Even when your race car has no power, turn the front wheels and feel the free-flowing motion of the gears and at the same time listen for any disturbing gear noises. Any jamming movements or any disruption on the free movement of the gears would mean that it is too tight. All four wheels should move altogether when you move a single wheel.

Take a simple paper about half inch wide; slide it in between the gears. This will allow you to check for the setting of the gear mesh. You should be able to clearly see the teeth of the gear on the slip of paper. If you cannot see these, it would mean that the gear mesh is too loose or if the paper comes out torn or too crumpled, then the gear mesh is too tight.

Setting the gear mesh is done by loosening the screws of the engine; push the engine to the spur gear. Take the entire engine out and not just the bell gear. Place a piece of paper in between the gears again to check for the tightness or the looseness of the gears.

If the gears appear to look tight, loosen the screws at the back and do the paper test once more. Place your car on a block to test the wheels freely. All the wheels should turn freely and without causing any disrupting noise.

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This RedCat Racing tutorial will tell you how to install and replace a glow plug. Learning all about maintaining your race car’s glow plug will allow you to take care of your car more and keep it running as efficient as it can be.

Finding the glow plug takes precision. Take the outer shell of your race car and find the glow plug. It is mostly located inside the piston of the engine manifold. You need only one tool to remove and replace an ailing glow plug and that is your 4-way wrench that is included in the nitro starter kit.

Locate the piston and with your 4-way wrench take the glow plug out with a counterclockwise motion.

As you take the glow plug out, there is a ring on the plug that you must not lose

With your glow plug igniter, check your glow plugs. Pull the igniter open and place the tip of the glow plug in. Careful when doing this since you may touch the filament and damage it in the process. When the glow plug filament turns glowing red, it is good but if it remains black or unlit then it has already gone bad.

Replace the old glow plug with a new one using the same 4-way wrench tool. Gently screw the glow plug back into the piston. Tightening it can only damage the glow plug and may only dampen the performance of your vehicle.

A glow plug is used to ignite the engine of the race car. If the glow plug fails, your engine won’t be able to start at all.

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This Redcat Racing tutorial covers tuning your RedCat engine and understanding your engine’s carburetor. This is a part of a series of tutorials that instructs first time users on the function of a carburetor and tuning the engine afterwards.

It is important to remember that tuning a 2-stroke engine may require skill and patience. You will have to learn skills and a few tricks in tuning a race car engine easily and efficiently. The amount of fuel and air that goes into an engine for burning affects the overall engine performance and all of these are controlled by the carburetor. You need to set the carburetor properly to give the engine the right mixture of air and fuel to burn. This is the tuning process.

There are several terms that you will hear and use as you tune your engine:

Rich means that there is more fuel, less air mixture. This process can keep your engine run cooler with more lubrication but will also decrease the engine’s performance in the long run.

Lean on the other hand means that there is more air and less fuel in the mixture. You will get more power in your engine and more performance but an engine running lean won’t last longer.

Understanding the parts of your carburetor will help you get to know more about its functions. This carburetor slide open sideways, there are several types of carburetors and each one may be different from each other.

The idle speed screw controls the air and the fuel mixture when the engine is set on idle speed.

The HSN or High Speed Needle controls the air and fuel mixture when the carburetor is opening from partial to a full throttle speed.

The LSN or Low Speed Needle controls air and fuel as the carburetor is set from idle to partial throttle speed.

By turning the screws on the needle controls of the carburetor clockwise, you close the High Speed Needle which means leaning the High End. When you turn the screw counterclockwise, you are opening the High Speed Needle which means to richen the engine. Make appropriate changes by making small turns usually ¼ turns even when you are opening or closing the High Speed Needle.

Set the idle speed screw so you can get rid of engine revving and when you want to fix a vehicle taking off right after the car’s engine starts and engine shutting when it is set to brake. Turn the radio on and power the car on. Take your air filter off and set the throttle trim to close the carburetor. Power off the car.

Always set the high speed needle first, you should see visible smoke from the exhaust. Perform tests setting the High Speed Needle and listening for the engine sound. Take note of the difference between a rich and a lean engine. A Pinch Test would help you determine the richness and leanness of your engine.

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How to break in your RedCat Racing remote control engine.

This is an essential step that will help you get to know your RedCat Racing engine and how to break in the engine especially when it is your first time to use it. Place your remote control car on a base (or Redcat work stand) to prevent the wheels from touching the ground. Fill the fuel compartment with RC fuel using your plastic fuel bottle.

Always turn the radio controller on first before you power the receiver on the remote control car. With your fingers, block the exhaust system and with your other hand, pull the started to start priming the engine.

With short pulls, you should see the fuel in the fuel tube from the fuel compartment go to the carburetor. After a few short pulls, use the glow plug igniter, insert it to the glow plug located in the piston and pull the pull starter again. The engine should start immediately.

Set your remote to idle speed so that your wheels are not moving. If the wheels are moving, check the throttle trim from the radio controller and set it on idle. You may also use an idle speed screw to do this manually.

Set the needle valve located at the entry to the carburetor from a high end to a rich setting and check the temperature of your engine, the ideal break in temp is between 200 to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.

If your exhaust is spitting fuel other than smoke then you are doing well and the engine is running rich.

It is recommended that you allow the engine to sing for a full tank. Give the car a full 15 minutes break and then fill the tank again for the second process.

After you have finished a full tank, it is time to drive your car. The first thing to do is to make 8 circles on ¼ throttle. Make circles of 8 several times. Once the second tank of fuel is finished, let the engine cook down for 10 minutes.

Fill the tank with fuel and do what you have done on tank 2. Allow your engine to rest for 10 minutes before you start on tank 4. This time, drive your car doing 8 circles on half throttle. After the 4th tank is finished, let the car rest for another 10 minutes to cool the engine down.

When you are on tank 5, drive your car on a straight line going from partial to full throttle this time. Keep doing this until you have finished tank 5. Let the engine cool down for 10 minutes.

Now you can do whatever you want!

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This tutorial will teach you how to do the basic controls for your redcat racing nitro vehicle and further familiarizing yourself with the RedCat racing 2-channel remote control. Place the on a stand to check for its parts. Take the top cover off to expose the insides of the car. Check for the car’s glow plugs. Take the glow plug out from the piston.

Take your glow plug igniter and place the tip of the glow plug on the igniter tip (the tip with the coil must be seen). When you press the tip of the plug to the igniter, the coil must glow red. If it doesn’t, then the glow plug is bad.

Pull the starter very gently, in short bursts. Always secure your car with one hand as you make short starter pulls. Do not pull the cord way out like a lawn mower. If this is the first time that you are starting the engine, its best to prime it first. You may place a few drops of nitro fuel in the carburetor and a few drops of oil directly on the glow plug which is located inside the piston. Then pull the starter loosely to make sure the fuel goes in.

Do not over tighten the glow plug which can only damage it.

The pull start may be very hard to pull in a brand new engine. Do not force the pull start and always have a firm hold on the car when you are pulling the pull start. As the car powers on and the engine starts, let the car “sing” for at least one fuel tank. The engine may quit for a few times, just set the car on idle speed by trimming the throttle with the use of the remote. Do not rev the engine.

Standard Break In Procedure calls for 5 Tanks on Idle. There should be smoke coming out from the exhaust if there is no smoke, then you are running the engine too lean. You have to make adjustments otherwise you will risk damaging your engine.

Check the engine temperature during the first run by touching the top of the blue piston It is normal to see fuel spitting from the exhaust when you are priming your car for the first time.

It is normal to see fuel spitting from the exhaust when you are priming your car for the first time.

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